Week 11 NFL Recap- Where’s the defense?
- Updated: 11/20/2018
Who is coaching these guys? Keep the flag in your pocket!
The offensive craziness of the 2018 NFL season took center stage Monday night when the Rams beat the Chiefs 54-51, scoring the third most points in any NFL game in history, 105. The teams blew through the Over in the 3rd quarter. Receivers were wide open all night and when they weren’t the refs handed them interference or holding penalties. This game featured everything, from 21 penalties to interception and fumble returns for TDs to 900 total passing yards and 10 passing TDs. KC turned it over 5 times and still had two chances to win at the end. They had 5 sacks of Jared Goff. Game breaker Tyreek Hill had 215 receiving yards and was routinely wide open it was hard to fathom. The Rams are supposed to have this brutal defense but this game was a track meet from the start. Defensive secondary play is a thing of the past, these guys have no idea how to turn around and play the ball and always run into the receiver and get flagged. The aggressiveness of Goff and Mahomes is rewarded by just heaving the ball up to an open guy or waiting for the flag if they miss. The Rams inexplicably threw the ball instead of milking the clock giving Mahomes a chance to win before he was intercepted once again.
The Cowboys upset the Falcons in Atlanta 22-19 as close games and last second kicks were the norm. Atlanta couldn’t get the ball in the end zone and settled for 4 FGs costing them the game and most likely a chance for the postseason. Dallas inched closer to a division lead with their 2nd straight win and they take on the Colt McCoy led Skins on Turkey Day.
Doug Marrone’s pitiful strategy of protecting the lead again exploded in his face as the Jags blew a 16-0 lead and lost to the Steelers at home on Big Ben’s late TD dive to keep their win streak alive 20-16.
Eli Manning showed that given time to throw that he is still one of the most accurate passers in the NFL. Eli was 17-18 while Saquon ran for 142 yards and scored 3 TDs proving the skeptics wrong again who criticized by the Giants for not taking a QB in the draft. New York held of the Bucs 38-38 as Jameis relieved a faltering Fitzmagic to make it close.
Alex Smith was lost for the season to a brutal broken leg reminiscent to Joe Theisman’s injury 33 years ago and Colt McCoy came up short as the Texans won their 7th straight to upend the Redskins in Washington 23-21. The boys from DC are riddled with injuries and are going to fall out of the division lead within a couple of weeks.
Andrew Luck continued his miracle comeback with a shellacking of the Titans in Indy, 38-10. Another example of giving the QB some time. The Colts line hasn’t given up a sack since September.
Lamar Jackson excelled rushing, passing and in directing a victory over the Bungles in Baltimore 24-21. Cincy’s defense is a complete disaster on pace to the worst defensive season in NFL history. The Ravens shut down the Bengals run game and the red head virtually has no chance to win, always playing catch-up.
Riverboat Ron Rivera gambled away a chance for the Panthers to beat the Lions as he went for two with over a minute to go. What a dope! If they make it, which they didn’t as Cam missed an easy target, Detroit still has time to kick a late FG. Lions lucked out 20-19 on Rivera’s miscalculated risk.
The Chargers lost in Denver 23-22 after surrendering a 19-7 lead in the second half. Rivers worst game of the season and the Chargers kicking problems bit them in the butt.
Nice to see Gruden get his 2nd win on a late FG 23-21 over the hapless Cards.
Philly was embarrassed again, this time 48-7 to the Saints in New Orleans. In yet another performance where the offensive line giving Brees time to throw made the old man look brilliant. Philly’s defensive backs are among the worst I’ve ever seen and offensively the Eagles could not muster enough to break 200 yards. Way to defend that Super Bowl!
Trubisky played well enough and the Bears defense held the Vikings at bay as Chicago scored a huge division win at home 25-20 against division rival Minnesota.
Lots of close games with poor coaching decisions and high scoring games featuring invisible defenses are the new NFL. Sloppy refereeing and poor arm tackling are what sticks in your mind as we watch these games frustrated by what happened to the fundamentals of the NFL.
-HB
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